>> reporter: there's been a lot of sniffing here in washington. i don't know if they like what they are spelling down here on either side on the deal. yeah, people have been describing it like that, some people said it's like a scorpian dance, you know, they are kind of stalking each other and waiting to get in that room and make the deal. erskine bowles said something similar that, both sides can't really talk about what it's going to be, because they would get pummeled by the base if either side really knew what they are going to in the end agree to. that is the hopeful optimistic side that a deal will be reached. there is another side that says, this isn't as close as those optimists believe, and that this is going over the cliff, and i think there is 50-50 chance right now. bill: and on that point, treasury secretary timothy geithner was asked about it, asked whether or not, you know, the u.s. would go over the cliff, and whether or not we'd be ready for it. here is what he said, listen. >> if is the administration prepared too go over the fis